Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Contents
2 editorial3 AWordfrom thesCC
4 theKelaraiArt ofWeaving
6 CrafthubCultural talkinsarawak
Museum
7 RWCB2011
8 Abushan
10 Indiantextiles
12 BambooBaskets
14 It’sasmallWorld16 BIBAentryForm
18 PageofHistory
19 What’son
19 shoppingwith DeGayantina thamrin
MAtsAnDBAsKets
sarawakCraftCouncil,sarawakHandicraftCentre,Roundtower,Lot32sect25KtLD,JalantunAbangHajiopeng,93100Kuching,sarawak
tel6082245652,252241,fax6082420253e-mail:[email protected]:sarawakhandicraft.com
PublishedforsCCby:Crafthubsdn.Bhd,FirstFloor,no.96MainBazaar,93000KuchingsarawakMalaysia.
tel:6082421346fax:6082614622email:[email protected]:www.crafthub.com.my
therewasa time,not sovery longago,whenmatswereabouttheonlyfurniturefoundinourhomes,andbasketsthemeansofstorageandtransport.Afamilysatandsleptonmats.theykepttheirvaluablesinbaskets,theycarriedanythingthatneededmoving–harvested grain to the house, farmproduce tomarket, personalbelongingslikesireh,tobaccoandflint–inbasketsspeciallymadeforeachpurpose.
the terrace house dwellers in sarawak’s towns still use baskets.ontheutilitariansidethere’sthelaundrybasket,thewaste-paperbasketandthevegetable-washingbasket.thesearefoundinthekitchen; in thedrawingroomthere’sa tissueboxcovermadeoffancy basket-work, there are decorative baskets to hold flowerpotsordry-flowerarrangements,therearelampshadesandwind-agitatedmobilesinfancyshapes.
Ladies no longer carry their chewing and smoking utensils in abasket,butmanyusedaintyknittingandsewingbasketsfortheirneedlework. Until superman on a vinyl backpack took over,childrenusedtocarrytheirbookstoschoolinabaskettoo.Multi-coloured school-bags with cartoon characters are not theonly change in the world of basketry. Plastic packaging stripsareused tomakebaskets; theroughvarietymaybeseeninanymarket, full of vegetables, fish, orwhatever the small business-womanishopingtosell.thewhole-sellerhasmovedawayfromlooselywovenbamboobaskets,too.Wetmarketproducearriveinlargesquareplasticbasketsnowadays;‘easiertostackonalorry’we’retold.
thewomeninthefarmers’marketdon’tbuysuchplasticbaskets,theymaketheirowncontainers.thetechniqueofworkingplasticstrips is the sameasanyotherbasketry–anyam satu being themostcommon–and thecraftswomenquite likeusingcolourfulmaterials.somehavetheartistictastetomakeplaidsandpatterns.Afewhavestartedusingfinerplasticstripstomakemoreelegantbasketry.theyhave the skill, but, somanyof them lament: ‘it’seitherplasticornothing.Youcan’tgetgoodrattananymore.’
this is used to be the problem of town-based artisans, but asthe population spreads and land use changes, even our bestcraftworkers in thevillagesand longhousesfind itmoredifficultto get good materials. Provident mat-makers tend little plots ofbemban, the reed that’s used for making sleeping mats; rattanneedstalltreestogrowupon,anditmaturesveryslowly.
Wefeelthatitishightimesarawakstartedgrowingcraftmaterialsseriously.sabahhasastartonusthere;theyareharvestingrattanwhichwas planted twenty, thirty years ago.An entrepreneur inthe Bau-Lundu are hasmade a start with the fastest-growing ofmaterial, bamboo; there are a few rattan plantations here andtherebut themarketneedsmore!Manyofourbestcraftworkersare elderly; they aren’t going to tramp six hours into the junglejusttogetanarmfulofcanes.Ifnaturalfibresareeasilyavailable,manycraftswomenwhonowdon’tdobasketryatall,orworkwithplastic,willgobacktoemulatingthehighstandardssetbytheirmothersandgrandmothers.
CRAFtsispublishedbyCrafthubsdn.Bhd.forthesarawakCraftCouncil(sCC).opinionsexpressedbycontributorstoCRAFtsarenotnecessarilythoseofthesCCorCrafthub.thecontentsofCRAFtsmaynotbereproducedinanymediumwithoutpriorwrittenpermission.Feedbackisalwayswelcome,writetousattheaddressbelow,email:[email protected]:www.crafthub.com.my
WouldyoulikeyourcrafteventtoappearinourWhat’son…freelisting?Wouldyouliketoadvertiseatveryreasonablerates?thenemailtheeditorwithdetailsto:[email protected]
editor:HeidiMunanPublicationManager:RosenahAhmad
Contributors:LucyAng-Abey,Donaldtan,RosmarieWong,KamaldeepKaur,VictorWong,HeidiMunan,PabriyahBachik,DeGayantinathamrin,ReynoldAhvietPrintedbyBahagiaPresssdnBhd,Lot225section49,JlnPadunganUtara,93100KuchingPublishedbyCrafthubsdnBhd,1stFloor,96MainBazaar,93000KuchingIssn1985-7357 Coverimage:tattooedIbanCraftsman,©copyrightmaridontreks
2
Fingerornament,seenatAhbushan.
andmarineproducts.Wow!suchdiverseproducts!Itwasanexcitingexhibitionthatourteamwasproudtobeapartof.
theobjectiveofourteamwastocreatemarketawarenessofthehandicrafts scene.Much likeother industries,handicraftproductskeeponchanging,evolvingintermsofdesign.Youngmindsarebraveenoughtore-shapethewaypeople lookatcrafts.
Almostamonthafteroursabahtrip,sCCheadednorthagain,nottoMiriorsabahbuttoBandarseriBegawan(Brunei).sCCparticipatedinsarawaktravelFairwhichtookplaceattimessquareshoppingMall1–4April.thisfairwascoordinatedby the sarawak tourism Board. We tagged along Lawas’sbead producer, Mr Marthin sara, and painter Mr Awangnikaszahar@niki.Plentyofpeoplesurroundedthemastheonewasmakinglivepaintingsandtheotherproducedbeads--somethingto“wow”tocrowd!!ouronlycomplaintwasthecurrency…everythingcostsdoubleinBrunei.
PromosiKrafMalaysiawasheldatMiriHeritageCentreon20–25May,organizedbyKraftanganMalaysia.WeshowcasedourtalentedcraftspeoplefromMiriitselfforthisPromotion.
Outlookthere you go people, it was quite a packed schedule forthe sCC team. It was fun too, there’s a yin and yang thatmakesthingsworthwhile.Ahhh---donotforgetthecomingRainforestWorld Craft Bazaar, 8 – 10 July, you can’tmissthat one!With participation from art students from variouslocaluniversitiesinterpretingthetheme“recycle”,somethinginteresting isbound tohappen.Weknowyouaregoing forthis,andyouwillseethesCCthere!
Hellofolks,alsobigHitoallourregularCRAFtsreaders who have been following us since ourfirstprint,waybackin2008.Ithasbeenquiteathrill ride for us (fun aswell!).We share storiesandinformativetopicsforthenewsletter,honestlyweare learningsomenewthingsaswell!Beinghuman, we cannot have the ability to knoweverything. Learning and sharing new thingseverydayisagreatwayofcontributingtosocietyasawhole.
Withthisissueourteamsays‘selamatHariGawai’toallourDayakreaders,andselamatHariRaya(comingnextmonth!)toourMuslimfriends.
SCC ActivitiesIn February-March the sCC took part in theannual Hari Kraf Kebangsaan (national CraftDay)atKompleksKrafKualaLumpur.the2-weekevent was filled with exciting programs. Withparticipation fromevery state inMalaysia, therewas a lot of interesting stuff, from the kind ofhandicrafts we come across everyday to reallybizarrestuff!interestingenougheh?
sCC featured Mr. sahat Akip from Kampung sileng MelayuLunduatHariKraftKebangsaan.Heisknownforwoodcarvinganddidlivedemosduringtheexhibition.
Less than aweek later, we headed to Kota Kinabalu for theBIMP-eAGA(BruneiIndonesiaMalaysiaPhilippineseastAseanGrowthArea)expo12–15March,atthesabahtradeCentre.thisshowcasedthebestofeAGAproducts, includingawiderangeoffood,agriculture,industrialcrops,livestockandpoultry
A word from...The Sarawak Craft Council byReynoldAhviet
3
sCCChairmanDatukGramongJunahonouraveteranartisan.
Left:sCCatthesarawaktravelFairinBrunei.
4
Weavingistheprocessofinterlacingyarnsorthreadsofleaves,
‘lidi’,rattan,roots,bambooandseveralothertypesofplantsin
andoutofitselftoformathreadedsurface.
theartofweaving is inseparable from the traditionalwayof
lifeofcommunities intheIndo-MalayArchipelago, including
Malaysia.Frommatstowallcoverings,weavingworksfillthe
living environment everywhere.this is unsurprising asmany
naturally-growing tropical plants are suitable as weaving
materials.
Generally,thebasicmethodofweavingdoesnotdiffermuch
butitdependsonthetypeofplantusedforweaving.Among
the most frequently used for weaving is pandan (pandanus
amaryllifolius), mengkuang,bamboo,bemban,rattan,ribu-ribu,
serdang leaves and sal leaves. Different plant characteristics
producevariousshapesandresult inendproductswhichare
usefulfortraditionaleverydaylife.
theweavergainsinspirationandcreativityfromobservingthe
environment and surrounding life. In theprocessofweaving
patterns, theshapescreatedgive rise toan interestingdesign
stylewhichcametobeknownas‘kelarai’.thekelaraidesign
canbecomposedsinglyorarrangedinaspacetomakeasetof
patternsthatproducesacertaindesign.
through their expertise, theartofkelarai design isproduced
basedonnature-inspiredpatterns from theflowersof ‘bunga
pecah lapan’ (eight-petals flower), the clove, the so-called
cape flower (‘bunga tanjung’ - mimusops elengi from the
familysapotaceaeoriginating from the islandsof Indo-China
andtheMalayanPeninsula),‘tampuk pinang’(betelnutbuds),
‘siku keluang’, ‘tapak harimau’ and fish bones.According to
the kelarai art of weaving
byPARBIYAH BACHIKCorporateCommunicationsDepartment,KraftanganMalaysia
sitiZainonIsmailinthebookRekabentukKraftanganMelayu
(1986) [Malay Handicraft Designs], there are 45 types of
‘kelarai’designsthathavebeenidentifiedandusedbyweavers
from areas in the Malaysian eastcoast states of terengganu,
PahangandKelantan.
e.F.AllenandJ.H.GreigintheirbookArt&Craft–thePandan
WeavingIndustryofterengganuexplainedthat:
“The basic pattern or ‘kelarai’ requires only two colours and it
is easier to study in this form than where a complex of colours
interwoven in strips to produce the ‘corak’ (pattern) which is
super-imposed on the kelarai and which, carried to extreme,
may almost obscure the pattern,”
After more than 30 decades the art of weaving inMalaysia
has shown improvement and noticeable change. Production
innovationandgreatercreativityinwovencraftshaveresulted
invarioustypesofproductsbasedonweaving.suchprogress
hasindirectlyinfluencedtheprogressofthekelaraidesigns.
KELARAI AND WEAVING PATTERNSGenerally there are about 45 types of kelarai and weaving
patterns that were used by the local weaving entrepreneurs.
Kelarai is still being used even to this day. It is a technique
wherebytheeyeletsareskippedbetweenonetofourplacesto
createapattern.Inagadasweavingpatterntheeyeletsarenot
skippedtoproducethedesign.
Previous designers have creatively produced a number of
designsbasedonasingletypeofpattern.suchcreativearttook
intoaccountfeaturesofbeauty,comfortandinfluenceneeded
intheirdailylives.
5
thedesignpatterns thatwerecreatedwereharmoniousandeasilyacceptedby theendusers.eachwovenpattern took into
accountnotjusttheaestheticvaluesbutwerecompositionswithreferencetothenaturalsurroundingsandwhichmustnotgo
againstreligiousvalues.
thekelaraiweaverusesthenaturalsurroundingsasinspiration.Plants,birdsandinsectsaswellasvariouscosmicelementsclose
toherwerearrangedandused.shapesofthecloveflower,mangosteenend,littlefish,tigerpawsandsoonbecamepatternsthat
notonlygiverisetobeautybutalsofunctionalityinitscreation.
TYPES OF KELARAIthenaturalsurroundingisthesourceofinspirationtoweaversincreatingtheirmyriadpatterns.Assuch,theideasandcreativity
werechurnedtoproduceuniquecreationsusedandappliedthroughouttheages.
(Left)Kelaraioflittlefish–hassimilarpatternstothepatternsofthejalashoots
(Right)Kelaraiofkedidi(birdtoes)
Kelarai inspired by animals
(Left)Kelarai mak mek
Kelarai of People’s Name
(Left)Kelaraiofjasmines
(Right)Kelaraiofmangosteenends
Kelarai inspired by plants
theweavingartisstillusedtothisday.Weavingproductshavebeenvariedinlooksandfunction.Infact,theproductswerenot
limitedtohouseholdusesbutalsousedasinteriordecor.thecreativityoftheseweaverssparknewideasinwrappingmotifsused
inothercreationsthatdonotusethebasicweavingmaterialslikepandanusor‘mengkuang’leaves.Instead,thekelaraimotifis
usedontopofothermedialikemarbles,ceramicandothers.
(Left)Kelaraipecah lapan(Kelaraiineightpetals)
(Right)Kelaraiofbrokenrice
Abstract Kelarai
Matmakinginsarawak(Right)
6
on 28th December 2010, Crafthub had the great privilege ofintroducingVivienneGarside to the sarawakMuseum,where shegaveawellattendedtalkonZuluBeads.
VivienneGarsideisthemanagerofVukaniMuseuminsouthAfrica,acombinationofexhibitions,andworkingartisanswhoperpetuatetheculturaltraditionoftheirforbears.shetoldherKuchingaudiencethat this village-style museum is under the stewardship of theVukani Collectiontrust, a multi-cultural group of local residentswhoarepassionateabouttherareworksintheircharge.Withtheirdedicated staff, they have committed themselves to rescuing olditemsoftraditionaluse,andtocreatingopportunitiesforcrafterstomarkettheirwork.toraisefundsforthispurpose,theybuyandsellsuperbcraftworkatfairprices,andcollectorsarewelcometomakeenquiriesinthisregard.
Mrs.GarsideiscurrentlyreadingfortheCommonwealthAssociationofMuseumDiplomainMuseology.
thetalkwasillustratedbyexcellentcolourslides,andafewsamplesofZulubead-craft.Crafthub thanks thesarawakMuseumformaking its lecture roomavailableforthisfascinatingtalk.
A delegation from Vukani Museum, providing hands-ondemonstrationsandalsobeadcraftsales,isexpectedtobeourguestduringtheforthcomingBorneoInternationalBeadsConference,7–9october.(seedetailsonp.19)
Crafthub Cultural Talk at Sarawak Museum
VivienneGarside
BeadedPot
BeadworkbyDorisMwelase
ModernZulubeadwork
7
since the inaugural RainforestWorldCrafts Bazaar in 2008, the RWCBhas been aresoundingsuccess,attractingexhibitorsandartisansfromallovertheworld.
the RainforestWorld Crafts Bazaar is sited right inside the RainforestWorldMusicFestival.over20,000musicfansjoineduslastyear!
Practical Information• theRWCBishousedinandaroundtraditional Borneodwellings.• LookforMelanauandMalayhouses --that’swhereweare.• Lotsofhands-ondemonstrationsoftraditionalcrafts.• Makeyourowncraftsandtakeithome!• theBazaarisopenfrom11a.m.to10p.m.daily.
Event by:Crafthub Sdn. Bhd., First Floor, No. 96 Main Bazaar, 93000 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.Tel: +60 82 421 346 Fax: +60 82 614 622 Find out more on www.crafthub.com.my (under “events”) or drop us a line at [email protected]
a Learning Experience
8
For the three of us who attended Abhushan, a jewelryconference organized by theWorld Crafts Council, it was atruelearningexperience.
Abhushan was a World Crafts Council event, thought hepracticalorganizationwasinthehandsoftheCraftsCouncilofIndiaandtheDelhiCraftsCouncil.theeventembracedthediversity, symbolismandartistic formof Jewelry,an interfacethroughmany platforms like the actual seminar, exhibitions,andaseriesofexcellentworkshops.Mrs.ninaKothari,ChairPerson,statedthat:“theprogramaimstocreateaninteractivemoment when traditional, Indian crafts persons and expertswilljointheircreativeheadstoanalyzeandapplyarangeofinternationaldesignconcepts taking the traditional form toanew,wearablerealm.”
Abhushanwasatrulyinternationalevent,withseveralthousandparticipants, delegates and craft/jewelryproducers, designersand sellers. to the three participants from Kuching, it wassuperblymanaged.Unlikesucheventsthatwehaveobservedelsewhere,itwasdividedintothreeseparateparts:
the conference proper, the workshops, and the exhibition/sales component. each segment had its own organization;delegatesmightchoosetoattendtheconferenceonlybutnottheworkshops,ortheworkshopsbutnottheconference;theypaidtwoseparatefeesforthetwoevents.
this separation makes for very efficient organization. theworkshop committee had nothing else to run, only theworkshops,andtheydiditsuperbly.
theconferencecommitteehadsourcedexpertspeakers fromallovertheworld.theexhibition,‘seedtosilver’,asthenamesuggest, evoked innovative transformations in jewelry fromdiverse materials. the exhibition showcased works from six
ByRosemarieWong,HeidiMunan,Donaldtan
UshaKrishan,PresidentoftheWCC
Abhushanorganizersandresourcepersons
9
regions,northAmerica,LatinAmerica,europe,AsiaPacific,Africa and India.these jewelry itemsweren’t confined tonoblemetalsandpreciousstones–theyalsodemonstratedthe use of wood, plastic, recycledmaterials, shell, paper,metal.theideawastotransformahumblematerialintoanexquisitepieceofjewelry.thesectionfromIndiafocusedonfolkandtribaljewelryespecially.
Weweredelightedtomeetmanyofourfriends,andmakenewcontacts.onecommonpurposeunitedthiscollectionof people form every corner of the world: we are allpassionatelydevotedtofosteringandpromotingcrafts….
PresidentofWCCARP,surapeeRojanavongse
theChiefMinisterofnewDelhi,sheilaDixit,withHeidiMunan(l)andRosemarieWong(r)
traditionalIndianJewelry skilledCraftsmanappliesgoldleaftoIndianJewelry
JewelryandFashionshow,hostedbytheAustrianembassyinnewDelhi
Mrs.ninaKothari,ChairpersonofAbhushan,flankedbytwofriends
silverandnaturalfibrebracelet
PresidentofWCCARP,surapeeRojanavongse FibreArt BambooJewelry
Indian TextilesAmong the many regional crafts of India, one is unique:baandhani,alsocalledbandannabytheBritish.BaandhaniorBandhejisanancient,superfineformoftieanddye;6thand7th-centuryexampleshavebeenfoundonwallpaintingsinthecavesofAjanta,inMaharashtra.
The Craftsmenthe craft is practised only in Rajasthan and neighbouringGujarat, in the north-west of India. Historically there wasconsiderablemigrationbetweenthesetwostates,duetonaturaldisasterslikefloodsordroughts,orunemployment.
Fabric dyeing and printing requires considerable amounts ofwater.PeopletravelingfromRajasthanstoppedatthecopioussaabarmati River, in Ahmedabad. Most of the dyeing andprintingworkisstilldoneneartheriver,6-8generationsaftertheseartisansarrivedhere.
sometimes thereweremigrations ofbaandhani craftspersonswithinthestate,asfromKutchtoJaamnagarinGujarat,becausethiswasabiggermarket.othersmovedfromPakistantoKutchorotherborderingregionsinIndia,seekingwork.
therearetwocommunitiesinvolvedindyeingandprintinginIndia:theKhatriandtheCheepa.KhatrimeanstheKshatriya,a very high Hindu caste, but most of the Khatris today areMuslims.theCheepaaretheblockprinters,usuallyMuslimsinGujarat,butsomeinRajasthanareHindus.
The ProcessBaandhani or tying is practiced by thebaandh (to tie) naari(women),whilethedyeingistraditionallydonebythemen.
thedesignismadeonatracingpaperwhichisthenperforatedto transfer thepatternonto the fabric.tracing is traditionallydonewithaweaksolutionof indigoorgeru,a redcolouredearth. once the pattern is traced the women start tying it.Dependinguponthedesignandthesizeof the fabric, itcantakefromfourweekstooneyeartomakejustonepiece!
Aspecialtoolcalledthenakhalia (nakh=nail),madeofmetal,iswornasafingernailguard.thepointontophelpsinpickingupthepinchofthefabrictotie.
oncethetyingissodone,thefabricistakentothedyer.Ifafabric requiresmore than one colour, the piecewill be sent
Baandhani Textiles ByKamaldeepKaur of India
10
AntiqueWeddingshawl
BeforetyingWeddingshawl
tyingthepattern
WoolenshawlswornbyshepherdwomeninKutchregion,Gujarat
back to the samewomanwho tied it for a second round oftying,orevenathird.onlyonepersonworksononepiecetocreateaperfectproduct.
Traditional baandhani oneof the reasons for the survivalofbaandhani, asofmostcrafts,isthattheyarenotonlypartoftheIndianheritagebutalso of our present culture. Unique designs are meant forspecialoccasions,forparticularcastesandreligions.
For example a Garchola sari is worn by the Gujarat Hinducommunityforweddings,sothat’sapatternthatcannotgooutoffashionthoughonecanfindvariationsonthetheme.
ChanderokhoniiswornatMuslimweddings;thesepiecesaretraditionallymadeinaredandblackcolourcombination.
Developments in baandhani Myfirstintroductiontobaandhaniwasmytie-and-dyeclassinthedesignschool. I still remember themagicofopening thefirst tie anddyepieces I hadmade.An inner voice toldme:‘thisiswhatIamgoingtodoallmylife.’
the initial excitement about the outcome of dyeing hasremained the same since I opened the first piece in 1995. Istarted working with baandhani full-time about ten yearsago,when I saw the exquisite pieces in theCalicoMuseumoftextilesinAhmedabad,andheardthatnoonecanrecreatethosepatternsandquality.Iacceptedthechallenge.
Iworkedontraditionalpatternsatfirst,andsoonstartedcreatingcontemporarydesigns. It tookme about 3-4 years to createpatterns like those in the CalicoMuseum, but I did achieveequivalentresults.Mypieceshavebeendisplayed,amongotherprestigiousvenues,atGaleriPetronas,KualaLumpur,Malaysia,in theexhibition ‘thethread that links theWorld’organizedbytheCraftsCouncilofMalaysiaandsocietyAteliersarawak.
The link between the market and the craftsmen Designersbecomethelinkbetweenthecraftandthemarket.Mostofthecraftswerecreatedforlocalcommunitiestofulfilldailyneeds,orforroyaltyforspecialoccasions.
Astimechanged,theoldmarketstarteddisappearing.therearechangesinlifestyle,thetextilemillcanchurnoutathousandpiecesofthesamepatternsmuchcheaperthanthehand-madeones.
the craftsmen, unfortunately, remain in the same villagesand do not know how tomove aheadwhen they lose theirtraditionalmarket.
I was chosen by the Ministry of textiles to do a project indesigndevelopment, inwhich I staywith thecommunity forabout6months,learnabouttheirculture,patterns,toolsandpossibilities. During this period I create new patterns andproductstointroducetheartisanstonewmarkets.ItisatthistimethatIstartcreatingtherangeofscarvesandshawlswhichhavemademefamoustheworldover.IstartedgettingordersimmediatelyfromnGos,andmanyIndianandinternationaldesignhouses.theprojectstartedwith tenwomen,andnowthereareabout450womenworkingwithme,supportingtheirfamiliesandfulfillingtheirneedtobeattachedtotheirheritage,theircultureandtheirroots.
ABaandhanshawlisalotmorethanapieceofcloth!
More about bandhaani on the author’s web site www.neelgar.com, or drop her a line at [email protected]
11
BaandhaniKimono
BaandhaniFrabric-Malaysiandesign.
FROM BAMBOO TO BASKET, A MACHETE AWAYAmazing BambooBamboo has to be one of nature’s most fascinating, mostgenerous gifts. From roots to leaves, its uses make aninexhaustible list: food, drinks, medicine, shelter, housecomponents,kitchenutensils, furniture,household itemsanddécor,paper,yarn,textile,cosmetics,toys,musicalinstruments,transportation,landscaping,sportsandgamesitems,jewellery,waterprocessing,construction…
Bamboostandsoutasahighlyvaluedsourceofmaterialsforarts, crafts, implements, and tools. Besides its commercialand industrial values, bamboo also contributes to forestconservation.
Bamboobelongstoagrassfamilyof10,000species. Inthebamboofamily,91generaandover1,000specieshavebeenidentified. they’re generally classified either as clumper orrunner,knowntobethefastestgrowingwoodyplantat3-4feetadayor1½-2inchesanhourinsomeenvironments.Itslifespansfrom20to50years.
A DiscoveryRecently, I stayedwithmynephewWilsonand family in theidyllichamletofMalacampa,tarlacProvince, approximately150 km north ofManila. In the neighbourhood, clumps ofbamboo thrivealong the riverbanks,oroverlooking the ricefieldsneatlydemarcatedbybunds.
IaskedWilsonaboutbamboocrafts.HetookmetoCamilingtownmarketstallsandhelpedmetakepicturesofahugearrayofbamboowares:baskets,basketseverywhere,evenababy’sbasket-cradleandchickencoops.
thenwedrovetoMalasiqui,intheneighbouringprovinceofPangasinan,agood45minutes’driveaway.Westoppedatahousewithabigfrontyard.Women,andgirlsasyoungasten,deftlyworkedwithbamboostrips,addinghandlestobasketsforfruitvendorsandwholesalers.thesegirlsearnedgoodpocketmoneyafterschool.Althoughtheywereonlyhalfasfastasthegrown-ups,theycouldfinish20basketsaday,onaverage.
Another 15-minute drive brought us to san Carlos City,Pangasinan.Webrowsedaroundthetowncentre’scraftmarket.onestalldisplayedbamboobaskets,lamps,mirrororpictureframes,andfurniture:dressingtable,bed,diningset,etc.
one day,Wilson drove us to the suburbs oftarlac. on theroadwasaponypullingaroofedwoodencartpiledupwithbambooandrattancraftsalongtheroads—atraditionalstyleof peddling. some of the peddlers adopt a semi-Gypsy lifestyle.they’realwaysontheroad,doingwholesaleandretail,sleepingintheircartsfordaysuntiltheirwaresaresold.theystayhomebrieflytocollectmoregoods; thenthey’reontheroadagain.
byLucyAng-Abey
12
travellingtrader
ChickencoopMeeting a CraftsmanWhen I expressed my desire in seeing a bamboo crafter atwork,Lisa(Wilson’swife)introducedmetoherUnclesusinginMalacampa.Aninterestingencounterunfolded.Attwoyearsold,susinglosthisfather.Hisgrandparentshelpedhismothertobringhimup.Atsixyearsold,susingbecamehisgrandfather’sapprentice inbamboocraftsandcompletedhisfirstbamboobasketwhenhewasseven.Hetookpridethathealwayswonprizes in basketry competitions, even in primary school. ofsusing’ssevenchildren,onlyJuniorandUtengpickeduptheskill.ButUtengseemstoshowmoreinterest.
susing’s familyhome features anoldbamboobed,bamboochicken coops, bamboowalling, and bamboo fencing ... allhishandwork.susingshowedmeapadiwinnowingtrayandbaskets for different purposes, from farmer’s lunch basket toprawnbaskets.eachpiecewascarefullyandintricatelycraftedfrombamboostrips,doneinthebasicup-downbasketweavedesign,but theworkmanship toppedall those I’dseen in themarketplaces.
susing’sbamboobasketsareneversoldinastall.Becauseofhismeticulouswork,hispricescan’tcompetewiththehighlycommercialisedpiecessoldintown.Heonlyacceptsordersandtakeshistimetodoagoodjobforclientswillingtopay200-500pesos(UsD5-12)apiece.
Whattoolsdoessusinguse?Hesilentlypointedtothemachetetiedtohiswaist.that’sallheusesforcutting,splitting,shaving,and smoothening raw bamboo for his craft. susing hardlyusessandpaper. sometimesheusesabananaleaf fora littlepolish.Hemaintainsthatalastingbamboobasketdependsonwellselected,welldried(sunandair),andwellshavenstrips.Unless a client specifically requests varnish, susing’s basketsare100%naturallyfinished,smoothwiththenaturalsheenofbamboo.
susing works on his bamboo crafts single-handedly. Hiswife toring occasionally helps in cleaning the bamboostrips.Heshowedmetwospeciesofbamboogrowingintheneighbourhood:kawayanbayog(bambusa sp 1)andkawayan tinik (bambusa blumeana). Kawayan kiling/kawayan tiling(bambusa vulgaris Asia) isprocuredfromelsewhere.susing’sinstinctguideshiminchoosingwhatbambootocut. Justbyone look,heapprovesor rejects abamboo stem. Heeithercollectstherawbambooorbuysitfromthemarketplace.
I visited susing many times and watched him working instagesondifferentbaskets.Heusedwiderandthickerstripsofkawayanforthebaseandframe,smallerandthinnerstripsforthebody—updownweaving,overandundertheframe.(theyremindmeofwarpandweftasintextileweaving.)Bayogisfor trimmings,edgings,orfinishingwork. Kiling isusedonlyforcertainbasketdesigns.susingnormallytakes1-2daystopreparethebamboostripsand3-5daystoweaveabasket.
As susing never has any baskets in stock, I couldn’t havepossibly bought one from him. Lisa managed to persuadesusing’sdaughter Jenny tosell thebaskether fathergaveheralmosttenyearsago.Lisaboughtitasagiftforme.
Cleaning thatbasket is almosteffortless. I scrubbed itwithalittle laundry detergent, rinsed it under tapwater, and driedit under the shade. the almost decade-old bamboo basketholdsitsshapeperfectlyandisnowamongmymanypiecesofbamboocollection.
13
Womenworker
Bamboolamps Basketbase openweave
susingatwork
Introduction thisarticleexplains thedevelopmentof ideas,backedupbyresearch and aesthetic sensibilities,which culminated in thesetupofacompanyknownasGoldenChersoneseMiniatures.
I sculptminiaturefiguresasanartisticendeavour.Mypiecesgenerallymeasureabout6–7cminheightandmakesmallattractivecompactdisplays.AsIliveinapartoftheworldwhichisrichinitscolonialandculturalheritage,IhaveamassedalotofreferencestoAsianculturesfromwhichIhavecreatedmanyrealisticminiatures.
GoldenChersoneseMiniatureswas set up to producemetalminiaturestorepresenttheuniqueculturesofthisregionandtocreatearangeofunorthodoxfigures,visuallydifferentfromanyother–theminiaturesareinthemselvesunique.ourfocusisonunusualsubjectmattercoupledwithextensiveresearch,originaldesignsandworkmanship.CurrentlyweofferpiecesbasedmainlyonBalinese,JavaneseCourt and processional themes.these topics are chosen fortheirrichdisplaypossibilitiesintermsofcolour,grandeuranddocumentation.
Sculpting and Productionthemastersforthefiguresaresculptedinepoxyputty.siliconeRubberMoulds are thenmade, fromwhich numerousmetalcastingsareobtained.Myminiatureshaveseparateheads,armsand torsos, joined to create truly unique, individual pieces.thesearethenassembledandpainted.Allproductionisdonein-housetocontrolthequality.
Followingapersonal interest, IdecidedtorepresentBalineseandJavanesegamelans,bothspectacular,asamaintheme.this
IT’S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL ByVictorWong
wasfollowedbyrepresentingBalinesedancersintheirbrightlycolouredcostumes,aswellasthestatelyJavaneseRoyalCourts(Kratons)whichareallvery splendid inappearance.Anovelapproachwastheuseofsheetmetal,foldedtorepresentbatikcloth,onmyminiatures.Yetanotherunusualthemeistheshadowpuppet(Wayang Kulit)theatre.Iwasdeterminedtorecreatethepuppetsinbrasssheetmetal,butthisisn’teasy!Afteralengthysearch,Ifinallytracked
14
WayangKulitfigures
Gamelanorchestrasketches
down a small micro-electronics company whichwasabletoproducemultiplebrass-etchedpuppetsfrommydesigns.thereare10differentsilhouetteswhicharecutoutandpainted.A typicalWayang Kulitsethasabout250puppets.
Let’slookattwoofmyproductionsindetail:
Javanese Gong Ageng miniaturesthe most challenging piece here is the intricateJavaneseGongAgeng,foundintheRafflesgamelanorchestra, which features anthropomorphic andzoomorphicdesignsintheinstruments.thishighlycomplex itemwas created by attaching two sidewingstoacentralbird-likepiece.thewings,hooksanddrumswereseparatelyadded;thisisdelicateandpainstakingwork!
The Bonang with 4 musiciansthe unusual bonang instrument consists of awooden frame on which 8-12 bronze pots aremounted. InBali, it is played simultaneously byuptofourmusicianssittingsidebyside.thispiecealoneiscomposedof13separatecastings.
Golden Chersonese MiniaturesWith the setting-up of Golden ChersoneseMiniatures in mid-2008, we established thecharacteristics of the first two series with theiraesthetic intricacies. It is our stated intention tooffer truly unique miniatures with unparalleleddepthandbeauty.
Weare theonlymakersof theseunusualfigures.our production allows connoisseur collectors auniqueopportunitytoacquirefiguresofakindnotfoundanywhereelse
thereareplans foradditionalsetsandseries.Wehope that thisarticlehaspresentedadifferentartformgenretominiaturecollectors,andthereadersofCRAFtsmagazine.
Underconstruction Completedfigure:thesultan
Asultansurroundedbyhiscourtiers
ABalineseGamelanorchestra
thefabulousRafflesGamelanorchestra-themusical instruments feature anthropomorphicandanimaldesigns.themusiciansaredressedinJavanesecourtcostumes.
15
More information on these fascinating products may be found on website: http://www.gcmtoy.com
16
Calling all beaders!enteryourmostbeautifulcreationsintheBorneoInternationalBeadAward(BIBA)thecompetitionisopento
Bead-makersBead-stringers Bead-workers
entriesmustreachourofficeby5p.m.onthe1stseptemberattheverylatest;Crafthubsdn.Bhd,96MainBazaar,93000KUCHInG,sarawak,Malaysia
theresultswillbeannouncedatthisyear’sBorneoInternationalBeadConferenceinMiri,8-9october.
Alldetailsaretobefoundonwww.crafthub.com.my–clickonthelogo
BORNEO INTERNATIONAL BEADS AWARD
thiseventissupportedby
Name:
Date of Birth:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Fax Number:
Postal Address:
Biodata:
Signature:
Entry (Choose one Category, or several, as applicable)
Category 1 (Beadwork)Brief Description of Artifact
Material(s)
Significance, Inspiration
Category 2 (Bead Stringing)Brief Description of Artifact
Material(s)
Significance, Inspiration
Category 3 (Bead-making; submit at least three identical specimens)Brief Description of Artifact
Material(s)
Significance, Inspiration
Note: Please use additional paper if necessary.
BIBA Entry Form 2010/2011
The Sarawak Tourism Federation
AlwAyS supports
AuThenTic Sarawak handicrafts
MAin BAZAAR, 93000 KuchinGP.O. BOX 887, 93718, KuchinG.
TEL: 082 240620FAX: 082 427151
EMAIL: [email protected]: www.stf.org.my
A Page of History
Baskets from North Borneo
18
‘oneoftheartsatwhichtheDusunsareadeptsisthemakingofbaskets.someofthesearetruebasket-work,madefromstripsofrattanorbamboo;othersareformedfromtheredskinsofleafstalksof the sagopalmpressed out and sewn together.the carrying-basketisoneofthemostimportantoftheDusun’spossessions;hetakesitwithhimtohisgardenandbringshomeaheavyloadofkaladi(yam)rootsorpadi,andinithebringsdowntomarketthedammargumwhichhehascollectedinthejungle,orthetobaccowhichhehasgrowntosell.
twotypesoflargeback-basketareincommonuseinthetempassuk,eachkindbeing,asarule,fittedwithaboardsomefootandahalfwiderunningfromtoptobottomalongoneside,andwiththreeloop-strapsoftree-bark.theboardrestsonthecarrier’sback,andofthestraps,oneiswornaroundtheforeheadoroverthetopoftheheadtowardsthefront,whiletheothertwogoovertheshoulders.Bothtypesofbasketaresomewhatintheshapeofatruncatedconeandarecarriedapexdownwards.oneofthem,amostexcellentkind,ischieflymanufacturedattabatuanandinavillageabovetamuDarat– if I remember rightly, thevillage isPinasang.thisbasket,whichgoesbythenameofbongun,hasabodymadefromsago-palmleafstalkswhichareboundwithawoodenortree-barkrimat topandbase, theactualbottombeingwood. It is furtherfittedwithawoodencoverconsistingofaroundtopwitharimmade out of a strip of tree-bark.these baskets are splendid forholdingpersonalbelongingswhenon themarch, since theyarecheap,lightandstrong,areabsolutelyrain-proofandarebuiltfortheverypurposeforwhichtheyarerequired.
theothertype,calledbasong,issimilartothebongun,withtheexception that it has amuch broadermouth and no cover.thebasongischieflyusedforcarryingjungleandagriculturalproduce.When a native is travelling light he generally uses another andsmallertypeofbasketfittedonlywithshoulder-straps.thiskindofbasket,whichiscalledabariet,standsabouttwoandahalffeethigh,hasacircularmouthwithawoodencoverandarectangular
source:evansI.H.n.:AmongPrimitivePeoplesinBorneo,seelyservice&Co.Ltd,London1922;pp150-151
basewithanedgingofwood;thematerialofwhichitisconstructedisrattancane.Abariet willholdsufficientarticlesforanativewhois going for a fewdays’ journey – a changeof clothes, a betel-box,somesirehleaves,alittlerice,somedriedfishandpossiblyabundleofcharmstoprotecthimfromthehiddendangerswhichlurkintheforest.’
kIvor H.N.Evans joined the North Borneo Company as a junior civil servant in 1910. After a short term of service, he returned to Cambridge University to study anthropology. He paid a second visit to North Borneo (Sabah) in 1915, and then was appointed Ethnographer of the Federated Malay States Museums. Evans was interned during World War II; after liberation he settled in Labuan, where he died in 1957.
today, evan’s writings are of considerable interest; a person ofsomewhateccentriccharacter,hewasakeenobserverandexactrecorderofwhathesawandheardonhistravels.
what’s on... in the world of crafts
SHOPPINGwithDeGayantinathamrin
8-9 October 2011Watch this space and
www.crafthub.com.my
KUCHING WEEKLY CRAFT MARTeveryFriday–sundayattheWaterfront
MIRI PERMANENT CRAFT MART attheHandicraftCentre,BrookeRoad
19
Rong, Ba’ kelalan conical sunhatsdecorate thenadinMasenterprise room.Displayedon theshelves are a bamboo basket, sandals, Lun Bawang beadworks and many other traditionalBa’kelalanhandicrafts,originatingfromthebirthplaceofMs.RonangPeru,ownerofthisCraftstuitioncentre.Asidefromtribalproducts,thiscomfortableroomisalsofilledwithmoderncraftsmadeoftextiles,crochet,andknittedorwovenyarn.
thescarvesandchildren’sjacketscaughtmyeye.IreallywantedtotakeuponeofthebasicknittingclasseswhenIsawsomanyofRongan’sandherstudents’exquisiteproducts!
Ronanglearntthefundamentalsofthecraftbywatchinghersister,frombooks,andbyjoiningagroupofcrafts-making ladiesduringher stay insouthAfrica. shebegancrafts training fora group of singlemothers in singapore 6 years ago, and opened an online business at herdaughter’srecommendation.Uponherreturntosarawakacoupleofyearsago,Ranongopenedacraftstrainingcentreforwomenfromkomuniti kolejwiththesupportofthegovernment.shealsobeganteachingcraftsknowledgetostudentsofdifferentprivateschools.
this Craft Center holds handicraft classes for the general public, too. For only aboutRM120 (depending on the craft project), students can create beautiful handmade craftsof their own while learning stitching techniques. Anybody looking for unique gifts forlady friends, maybe a mother or daughter, can pick something special from the hand-craftedworks availableat reasonableprices in thiscraft shop, nadinMasenterpriseat Lot2682, 1st floor, twin tower Center 2 1/2 Mile, Rock Road, Kuching, sarawak. or browsehttp//loveineverystitch.wordpress.com
nicewarmhatsforacoolerclimate BasketsandmatsmadeintheLunBawangtechnique
Dollyinaknittedoutfit
Bon Voyage and Au RevoirA prominent and active friend of cross-border handicraftpromotion, Bapak RafailWaganitan,ActingConsul-General ofthe Republic of Indonesia, has completed his tour of duty inKuching–muchtoourregret!CrafthubjoinsthesarawakCraftCouncilinwishingBapakRafaileverysuccessinhisfuturecareer,andhopingwewill seehimandhis gracious lady inKuchingagainoneday.
PictureLeft:PayingafarewellvisitattheIndonesianConsulate,l–rRosemarieWong,Donaldtan,BapakRafail, Ibuoryzas.Rafail,HeidiMunan,LynAlhady,DiGayantina
sarawakCraftCouncil,sarawakHandicraftCentre,Roundtower,Lot32sect25KtLD,JalantunAbangHajiopeng,93100Kuching,sarawak
tel6082245652,252241,fax6082420253e-mail:[email protected]:sarawakhandicraft.com
PublishedforsCCby:Crafthubsdn.Bhd,FirstFloor,no.96MainBazaar,93000KuchingsarawakMalaysia.
tel:6082421346fax:6082614622email:[email protected]:www.crafthub.com.my
